He Said He’d Marry Her, So I Married Someone Else Chapter 03

He Said He’d Marry Her, So I Married Someone Else Chapter 03

“Ethan, don’t misunderstand. Ava didn’t mean to…”

“You’re still defending her?”

“I’ve seen her pull these same tricks since we were kids.”

Ethan bent down and scooped Brooke into his arms.

He looked at me, his eyes cold and filled with rage.

“Apologize to her, Ava.”

“Ethan…”

“Shut up. Apologize.”

Brooke huddled in his arms, crying softly, looking as if she might shatter at any moment.

My knee was bleeding.

Blood trickled down my calf to my ankle, leaving two bright red trails.

But Ethan didn’t seem to notice.

The way he was looking at me, you would have thought I’d committed some unforgivable crime.

A bitter laugh escaped me. I had no desire to explain anything.

“Fine. I apologize.”

Ethan seemed to pause for a fraction of a second.

But then the anger in his eyes burned even hotter.

“Not good enough.”

I straightened my back and gave Brooke a deep, formal bow.

“Is that enough for you?”

Brooke looked at me, the corner of her mouth twitching into a faint, triumphant smile.

It vanished as quickly as it appeared, and she turned back to Ethan, sobbing.

“It’s okay, Ethan.”

“I don’t deserve an apology.”

His expression immediately softened with concern.

“Ava, I told you. Brooke isn’t like the others.”

“Bullying her won’t make me leave her.”

“It will only make me feel worse for her—and hate you more.”

With that, he carried Brooke away.

I stood there alone for a long time, not moving.

My knee throbbed with pain.

But my heart felt hollow, light, as if there was nothing left inside.

I knew, in that instant, that every last bit of my obsession, my infatuation, had shattered.

Nothing was left.